Optical fiber systems are revolutionizing such industries as the telecommunication and computer industries. These optical fiber systems are more economical and more robust than alternatives that have been used in the past, such as copper wire, radio relay, or satellite configurations. In order to be used effectively, optical fibers must be adequately protected from the effects of mechanical, thermal, and environmental stresses. Moreover, the optical fiber package should lend itself to density, cost effective termination, ease of routing, and upgradability.
In the past, fiber optic cables typically comprised bundles of fiber optic filaments contained within a cylindrical covering or casing having a circular cross section. Such cylindrically shaped fiber optic cables are not well adapted for use in electronic packaging requiring very high component density. Cables having a circular cross section have the additional disadvantage of requiring a larger radius of curvature to complete a given turn as the number of filaments contained within the cross section is increased. Cables having a round cross section are typically difficult to bifurcate so as to service or terminate at more than two ends. Additionally, as a fiber optic cable having a circular cross section is increased in diameter, packaging difficulty is experienced in routing the cable through ducting, around corners within electronic assemblies, under modules, or under and around multi-layer interconnection circuit boards.
An improved building block for optical systems is an optical fiber ribbon structure (e.g., an optical fiber ribbon cable) which, because of its two-dimensional nature, simplifies aligning of the fiber ends, which facilitates termination procedures. An optical fiber ribbon structure may be the optimal cable solution for complex cable management problems. Optical fiber ribbon cables provide large fiber count with small cable diameter, low profile, and low skew between fibers. The optical fiber ribbon cable also provides mechanical support and protection. These ribbon cables, by totally enclosing the fibers, can additionally reduce mechanical abrasion and risk of exposure to moisture and other ambient hazards. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,189,721 and 5,253,318, which are incorporated herein by reference, describe two fiber optic ribbon cables which have been particularly successful when employed in various applications.
Although optical fiber ribbon cables perform successfully in use, known optical fiber ribbon cables are not configured to be gripped or pulled to facilitate their installation in a structure. More particularly, in certain applications it is desirable to install in a structure pre-terminated optical fiber cable assemblies having at least one optical connector precisely terminated to at least one end of the cable. In such applications, it is often necessary to route such pre-terminated cable assemblies through a tortuous path that may include walls, duct work, ceilings, or floors. Often, it is necessary to rigorously grip and/or pull such cable assemblies through such a tortuous path, and such gripping and pulling must be accomplished without damaging the precise connection that has been achieved between the optical connector and the cable assembly.
Typically, in the past, optical connectors have been employed as "makeshift handles" for gripping and pulling cable assemblies. Not suprisingly, such activity destroys the precise connection existing between an optical connector and a cable assembly to which it has been terminated. Alternatively, gripping devices have been employed to pull a cable through a structure. Although such gripping devices have operated with varying degrees of success, typically such gripping devices may not attach to a cable in a fashion that does not exert a load upon either the optical fibers or the optical connector, which of course may cause damage to the precisely pre-terminated cable.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present fiber optic cable assemblies. Thus, apparently it would be advantageous to provide an improved fiber optic cable assembly directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.